Child Molester Convicted Solely on Witness Testimony, Faces 95 Years

For Immediate Release 4/27/2017

South Baltimore— Kenneth Bryant was convicted by a Baltimore City jury of three counts of sexually abusing a minor and one count of second degree sex offense. Assistant State’s Attorney (ASA) Mark Jaskulski prosecuted the case.

At trial, the jury heard testimony from both the victim and the defendant. The victim testified that she had been sexually abused for five years by her mother’s former fiancé— beginning when she was four years old and ending when she was nine years old. Bryant denied his victim’s account on the stand.

According to ASA Jaskulski, the victim told her mother that Bryant touched her genitals in 2009. Her mother broke up with Bryant after the revelation, but did not press charges. In 2016, the victim was attending a church service with her mother when she suffered an emotional breakdown after hearing a sermon focused on forgiveness. The victim then told her mother the full extent of the abuse she had suffered at the hands of Bryant.

The mother decided to contact the police after hearing her daughter’s account. A witness of the victim’s breakdown at the church testified at trial.

“I think this young woman is incredibly brave,” said Jaskulski. “This is the second time we’ve gone to trial on this case—the first was an 11 to 1 (guilty) hung jury.”

Jaskulski said the State had no evidence beyond the testimony of the victim, her mother, and the witness from the church incident.

“These cases are so difficult to prosecute because they often rely solely on the testimony of the victim versus the defendant’s account of the acts,” State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said. “I am pleased that this jury believed her over the defendant, ensuring justice was rightfully served. I also applaud this brave survivor for her courage to recount to a courtroom full of strangers the worst moments of her life, inflicted by an individual her family should have been able to trust. I hope that this conviction is a major step on her road to recovery and our office will continue to support her on this journey.”

Bryant is scheduled for sentencing on May 12, 2017. He faces 95 years in prison for his crimes.